Desperate protest against demolition of homes in Wuhan, China

Disputes over land are increasingly common in China. On Wednesday, an operation to demolish illegally built shelters on a former dump site in the city of Wuhan led to an impassioned protest by one woman. EPA reports that the city plans to demolish illegal buildings at over 200 sites this month.

Soaring property prices are a major source of official and consumer concern in China with apartment costs rising out of the reach of many people and threatening to spark social unrest, AFP reports.

AFP - Getty Images

A protester being held by enforcement officers as a group of illegal buildings is demolished in Wuhan, in central China's Hubei province, on July 20. Soaring property prices are a major source of official and consumer concern in China with apartment costs rising out of the reach of many people and threatening to spark social unrest in the country of more than 1.3 billion.

AFP - Getty Images

Enforcement officers watch a woman, right, protesting against the demolition of a group of illegal buildings in Wuhan on July 20.

Li Lun / EPA

A law enforcement officer stands guard during a mission to demolish illegally built shelters on a former dump site in Wuhan on July 20. The city plans to demolish illegal buildings at over 200 sites this month to kick off a facelifting "revolution of urban administration" which will last through 2013.